2023-04-28 05:55:32
Russia has threatened to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Export Initiative, which allows for the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports to the global market, at a time when it was reported that the Group of Seven major countries are considering imposing more sanctions on Moscow over the impact of the Ukrainian war.
The deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey last July, allows Ukraine’s grain embattled by conflict to be safely exported from the country’s Black Sea ports.
However, Russia has repeatedly said that it will not allow the agreement to be extended beyond May 18, unless the West lifts obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports.
For his part, US State Department spokesman Samuel Warburg commented, in exclusive statements to Sky News Arabia, on the Russian threat to withdraw from the grain export agreement, on a number of points, saying:
- The United States understands that Russia’s behavior towards ships in Istanbul poses a threat to global food security and the safety of commercial shipping, as Moscow deliberately impedes inspections of ships, which negatively affects the flow of grain coming from Ukraine and impedes progress in this field.
- The United States is deeply concerned about the impact of this behavior on global food security, and will continue to provide the necessary support to address this crisis. Last year, for example, the United States provided $13.5 billion to combat food insecurity and contributed more than 40 percent of the WFP budget. Global.
- We are committed to supporting global food security and addressing the threats posed by Russia’s actions. We will continue to cooperate with our partners and the international community to ensure the provision of food and resources to those in need, and to address challenges related to food security.
- The world needs the Black Sea Grain Initiative, but what the world needs most is for Russia to end its illegal war against Ukraine, which would allow for a return to normal agricultural production and trade and an immediate and significant improvement in global food security.
- We see that Russia is obstructing the implementation of the initiative to divert public opinion from the real issue, which is its illegal war against Ukraine.
Russian warning
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that if the G7 moved to ban exports to Russia, Moscow would end the grain deal.
This comes as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to meet UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York in the coming days to discuss extending the agreement beyond May 18.
In this vein, Lavrov had previously threatened, during his visit to Turkey, to cancel the Ukrainian grain export agreement if no progress was made in terms of removing the restrictions imposed on his country’s exports of fertilizers and food products.
Russia demanded the resumption of deliveries of agricultural machinery and spare parts, and the removal of obstacles to securing ships and access to foreign ports.
Moscow has repeatedly protested the terms of the deal to export Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, which represents the only significant diplomatic breakthrough during the 14-month-old conflict in Ukraine.
What do we know about the grain export agreement?
- In July 2022, Kiev and Moscow, under the auspices of Turkey and the United Nations, signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which alleviated the global food crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, by allowing the export of nearly 25 million tons of corn, wheat and other grains.
- According to its terms, the agreement was to be extended automatically for the same period (120 days), unless one of the two parties notified the other of its intention to “terminate or amend” it.
- It was extended in November for a period of 120 days, until Saturday, March 18.
- But on March 13, Russia indicated that it had only accepted a 60-day extension over its dissatisfaction with the implementation of a second agreement aimed at facilitating Russian fertilizer exports.
- According to the Joint Coordination Center responsible for supervising this international agreement, 56 percent of exports went to developing countries and 5.7 percent to the least developed countries, which have a total population of more than 12 percent of the world’s population.
- Moscow complains that the parallel agreement to facilitate its fertilizer exports has not worked and accuses Kiev’s Western allies of obstructing its implementation.
- Over the past few days, Moscow has again threatened to suspend its participation in the Black Sea Initiative agreement, which is due to expire on May 18, if its demands are not met.
- United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has presented a proposed “path” for an extension of the agreement on Ukraine’s grain exports.
- The Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Gennady Gatilov, said that his country “does not see any progress, and has seen only promises.”
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